The Golden State Warriors may not be sitting out the Western Conference arms race after all.
The defending champions are engaged in active discussions with the Detroit Pistons about a trade that would send third-year wing Saddiq Bey to San Francisco in exchange for James Wiseman, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports. No deal is imminent, and Golden State and Detroit have discussed other possible parameters of a deal for Bey involving Moses Moody and second-round picks, per James Edwards III of The Athletic.
Already under pressure to make a win-now move at the trade deadline, that weight no doubt increased on Golden State after the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and finally the Phoenix Suns—hello, Kevin Durant in the desert!— all completed blockbuster trades to level up in a tightly-packed yet wide-open Western Conference. It's been clear for months Wiseman wouldn't be part of the Dubs' postseason rotation, and moving his contract would save Joe Lacob tens of millions in luxury-tax penalties both this season and in 2023-24.
Bey fits the broad outline of the player archetype Golden State has eyed with the deadline approaching, a solidly built 6'7 wing who can knock down open shots and capably defend multiple positions. He's not a deadeye shooter nor a true stopper, but Bey's scoring versatility, solid physical tools and experience playing in a motion-heavy, read-based offensive attack at Villanova make the 23-year-old a potentially snug fit for the Warriors.
Surely just as enticing to Golden State as what Bey offers on the floor is his contract situation, due just $2.9 million this season and $4.6 million next year before becoming a restricted free agent—key as the Warriors face an unprecedented tax bill come the fall.
The trade deadline expires Thursday at 12:00 p.m. (PT).
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